Judge me (or don't) clicky poll

[DVMmomma]

Ok guys. So. I'm picking up my new car in an hour or so and I'm thinking. With it being winter (hello dirty, snow covered and wet shoes) and with it being a new car with light colored interior, can I turn my 2y4m old kid forward facing? Other bonus to this- ability to use the touch screen entertainment system on the back of the seats. I always thought I'd leave her rear facing until 4 or until she was beyond the rear facing height/weight limits because I know it's touted as safer but she's 27lbs, and almost 36 inches. She's in the Britax Boulevard so technically she could have switched to forward 4 months and 7lbs ago. 

[schmella]

So I won't vote because I don't like any of your options.  But I struggle with this statement:

Dec 9, 2016 16:05:05 GMT -5 DVMmomma said:

Ok guys. So. I'm picking up my new car in an hour or so and I'm thinking. With it being winter (hello dirty, snow covered and wet shoes) and with it being a new car with light colored interior, can I turn my 2y4m old kid forward facing? Other bonus to this- ability to use the touch screen entertainment system on the back of the seats. I always thought I'd leave her rear facing until 4 or until she was beyond the rear facing height/weight limits because I know it's touted as safer but she's 27lbs, and almost 36 inches. She's in the Britax Boulevard so technically she could have switched to forward 4 months and 7lbs ago. 

It is scientific fact that rear facing is safer.  As in, we would ALL be safer if we could rear face in our vehicles but that doesn't work for driving a car, and people get carsick, etc. 

Article on the science behind it, but essentially it is spinal development, not height or weight, that makes a difference.  

And to be clear- I plan to wait.  But I don't have a toddler & twins on the way, so I don't judge you for doing whatever is right for your family, and who knows, I might feel exactly the same when mine hit 2y!  We just ordered weather tech floor mats for this winter and just facing the fact that the floors will probably be trashed next winter.  

[callmeKD]

A couple of thoughts - your car is going to get dirty with 3 kids no matter what - especially with the twins who need to RF for 2 years.

[callmeKD]

We just moved DD to FF - she's 3.5 years and 36 inches tall/35 lbs. my H didn't want to but I was ready (and I also have a new car with gray leather seats but that wasn't the reason for the switch.)

[DVMmomma]

schmella, callmeKD, thanks!! I'm a dramatic person and I wouldn't have actually assumed you thought I was a horrible mom if you picked that option I just feel like a horrible mom for considering it just so she can be entertained in the car and I can have clean seats. I'd rather have destroyed seats and a bored kid than no kid at all.

schmella, I cant get the article to come up for some reason, it just keeps going back to a new TCF page. I believe you though and can probably find the article. I'll show that to DH as he's the one who's been wanting to turn her because he's one of those "look how squished her legs are!" and she doesn't help because every time she's in the car, she tells us she's going to take her shoes off because her legs are squished and her knees hurt. Pretty sure she's being dramatic and just wants her shoes off. But he uses that for a reason.

Thanks again for your input. I think I'm going to turn her back around because she doesn't need to be entertained on daily drives anyway. Might let her forward face when we drive 5 hours to Illinois for Christmas though I guess.

[schmella]

csftl.org/why-rear-facing-the-science-junkies-guide/

[callmeKD]

DVMmomma we put DD FF when we drove from Boston to the Cape. It made the trip a little easier and then she continued to RF when we got back home.